Clark has missed the majority of the season already.
Fever advised to shut Caitlin Clark down by WNBA legend originally appeared on The Sporting News
It has been more than six weeks since Caitlin Clark took to the court to play for the Indiana Fever. In a sophomore season no one saw coming, Clark has struggled with four separate injuries and played in only 13 games as the Fever continue to pursue the playoffs without her.
While Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell have assumed much of Indiana's offensive responsibilities, Clark's dynamic playmaking and shooting have been missed in a Fever team that was built to her specifications.
With guards Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and Aari McDonald all ruled out for the season with injuries of their own, fans have been eagerly waiting for any updates on Clark's condition. It appeared that the two-time All-Star took a big step forward in her recovery from a right groin injury on Sunday, when she participated in shootaround before the Fever played the Minnesota Lynx.
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However, legendary WNBA center Lisa Leslie said Tuesday on CBS Sports Network that the Fever should exercise the most caution possible with Clark -- which includes shutting her down for the remainder of the 2025 season -- in order to preserve her long-term prospects.
"You want to see Caitlin Clark for the longevity of her career," Leslie said. "Me personally, I would not put Caitlin Clark back on the floor this season. And the only reason why I say that is because I had the injury she had, that deep groin injury is nothing to play around with."
Leslie cautioned Clark that if she came back from the strain too early, she might be "back in the same spot" if her body wasn't sufficiently ready to move and cut like modern basketball demands. It certainly gives the Fever some food for thought, especially with the playoffs just around the corner and Indiana (20-18) in position to qualify as the #6 seed.
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